Bleach Secret Santas
by Spunky0ne
Summary: A collection of stories about Bleach boys giving gifts to their loved ones!...warning yaoi...Kenpachi/Byakuya(Ch1), Kurushimi/Tetsuya(Ch2), Ichigo/Renji(Ch3), Aizen/Gin, Toshiro/Rukia, Grimmjow/Ulquiorra, Shunsui/Ukitake, Shihoin Kisho (from Stolen Seedling)/Rikichi, Ikkaku/Yumichika, Isshin/Ryuuken and any others I can think of!
1. Kenpachi & Byakuya - The Simple Things

**Bleach: Secret Santa**

**By Spunky0ne**

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**A series of short stories about Bleach boys giving secret gifts to the ones they love!**

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**Chapter 1: Kenpachi/Byakuya - The Simple Things**

"Sir," Torio said quietly, extending his hand in the direction of the Kuchiki clan leader, "A gift just arrived for you."

"Oh?" Byakuya mused, blinking in surprise, "A gift, you say?"

"Yes sir."

Byakuya reached out and accepted the small, plainly wrapped package and studied it as his attendant bowed, then disappeared back into the manor.

"That's odd..." he mused, looking more closely and noting that the package wasn't wrapped in paper, but in a piece of very soft and light leather.

There was no note attached to the box inside.

_Ah, _the noble realized, _This must be for the secret santa exchange among the upper officers. Interesting._

He opened the box and frowned at the small wooden whistle inside.

"Hmmm."

"Sir, it is time to dress for the Gotei 13's winter ball," Torio informed him.

"Oh, of course," Byakuya said absently.

He started to hand the package and its contents to his attendant, then looked more closely at the little whistle.

"Sir, is everything all right?"

"Yes, yes of course," the clan leader assured the young man, "I was merely distracted."

He followed Torio back to the house and moved into the dressing area, where he stood silently as his attendant undressed him, then dressed him again in a lovely formal kimono. He lifted the whistle out of the box and found a small piece of paper with a typed message.

_Use in case of emergency. Help will come._

The noble let out a soft, amused breath and started to set the whistle down, then paused and tilted his head slightly, his eyes growing curious. What had looked very plain to him only moments before began to resonate more intensely as he realized there were markings carved into the wood. Along the top and bottom was a design that reminded him of climbing ivy, while each side of the whistle had a tiny scene. On one side, he found a tiny sakura tree with a kneeling figure beneath it, looking upward, as though into the sky.

"Is that...me?" he whispered.

"It looks like you," Torio answered, making Byakuya blink in surprise and stare.

_That isn't an imprint. Someone carved that into the wood. This person is talented at carving. Whoever it is used a very small tool to make something so intricate._

He turned the whistle and studied the other side, where he found a very different scene. On this side, a black wolf was depicted. Byakuya's breath left him for a moment as he noted the stiffened posture, the large, dangerous looking fangs and raised hackles of the beast. It was beautiful in a chilling way and enchanted him so thoroughly he didn't realize that Torio had finished dressing him and was standing behind him, waiting silently.

"Oh, my apologies," he said, shaking his head as his senses returned to him.

He started to set the whistle down, but Torio's voice stopped him.

"Why don't you let me put that on a silk cord?" he offered amiably, "The colors go nicely with your kimono."

"And it would be the proper gesture, considering the person who sent it will be at the ball."

Byakuya handed him the whistle, then started to turn out of the dressing area. As he moved, the package that the whistle had come in caught his eye again and he picked up the box, ribbon and leather wrapping. He walked back to his bed and sat down on the edge, taking sips of tea and noting what he had missed before.

"These things are handmade," he mused softly, letting his fingertips caress the soft leather.

The box, he found, was made of strong swamp grasses that had been braided while wet, then shaped into the box before being carefully dried. The ribbon was, in fact, very thin rope.

_This person expended exceptional effort in making this._

"Interesting..."

He looked up as Torio entered the room.

"Here you go, sir," Torio said, slipping the silken cord around his neck and fastening the whistle in place.

Byakuya turned to look in the mirror and found himself almost smiling at the way the whistle looked so simple, yet resonated with quality. He couldn't take his mind off of the small treasure and his curiosity about who had given it to him as he left the manor and proceeded to the first division gathering hall.

The hall had been made over with holiday decorations and lovely golden and white lights. Pleasant, savory scents from the overly laden buffet table beckoned him and spirited classical music had the early arrivers dancing. Byakuya started across the room, then paused as a rough, grating voice reached him.

"Hey Byakuya, you look nice. Come and take a load off," Kenpachi invited him.

"In a minute," the noble said, looking around.

_Who could have sent this?_

_Rukia is not experienced in woodworking. Renji does carve bits of wood, but his projects are usually rather simple. Ukitake Juushiro is ill a lot, so may have picked up a skill like this, but...it doesn't seem like something he would..._

"You going to stand there all day or sit down?" Kenpachi asked, breaking into his thoughts.

Byakuya ignored him and walked quietly around the edges of the room, pausing to acquire a cup of spiced plum tea. He sipped at it silently, watching the couples dancing and officers talking, laughing and eating voraciously.

_None of the vizards seem likely, nor Shiba Ichigo. Both Kyoraku Shunsui and Matsumoto fukutaicho drink too much to have hands steady enough to make something like this._

"Did you lose something?" Kenpachi's voice asked, interrupting his thoughts again.

"I am looking for someone."

"Why don't you tell me who you're looking for and maybe I can help you find'em," the eleventh division taicho offered.

"Thank you, but..."

"Is that your secret santa gift?" the bigger man interrupted, reaching out to capture the whistle in his large, rough hand.

Byakuya froze for a moment at the intrusion, but hesitated in reacting as Kenpachi's green eyes studied the piece closely.

"That's cute," he commented.

Byakuya let out a soft, dismissive breath.

"It isn't just _cute_," he said reprovingly, "Someone with some genuine talent went to a great deal of trouble to craft this so finely. Everything, the gift, the box and the wrapping, was handmade, by someone with a lot of experience. Look at the detail in the carvings. Despite them being so small, there is an astounding amount of fine detail."

"Does the thing actually work?" Kenpachi chuckled.

"Erm, well, actually, I didn't try it."

"Why not?"

Byakuya paused, considering.

"It is meant to be for show," he postulated, not mentioning the written message that had noted it was for emergencies.

"Oh?" the bigger man inquired, taking the whistle in his fingertips and blowing it before the startled noble could react, "Huh...guess it's all just art. No real use, ne? Did you hear anything?"

Byakuya frowned.

"I didn't hear anything, but I did _feel _something."

"R-right. Well, good luck finding your secret santa," Kenpachi said, picking up a cup of tea and starting back towards his table.

A blush on his cheeks, Byakuya moved away quickly, ducking into a more private room.

_It doesn't make a sound,_ he noted, _but it emitted reiatsu. It felt familiar. If that brute, Kenpachi hadn't been so close to me, I might have been able to recognize it. I wonder if I should try it again..._

He looked around the small conference room briefly, then captured the whistle in his fingertips. Taking a small breath, he blew into the device gently and examined the tiny flare of reiatsu it emitted.

_Darn it if that blasted Kenpachi isn't still too close! All I can sense is his reiatsu! He needs to learn some control._

He closed his eyes and tried blowing the whistle again, concentrating deeply, but still only sensing Kenpachi. And when he opened his eyes, he found himself looking at the eleventh division taicho.

"What are you doing here?" he blurted out before he could think.

"Came to enjoy the party, just like you," Kenpachi said, grinning, "You want to dance?"

"I told you, I'm trying to find someone," the Kuchiki heir snapped, "Why do you keep insisting on following me around?"

"Why do you keep calling me?" the other man asked, smirking.

Byakuya stared at him in confusion, then looked down at the whistle that was still captured between his fine fingertips.

_Is that why I could only sense him?_

_He was purposely staying close to me so I wouldn't know!_

"You made this?" Byakuya asked curiously.

"Yeah, I made it," Kenpachi confessed, "A guy's got a lot of time to kill when he lives in the lower Rukon. I couldn't spend all of my time killing things if I wanted to live and grow stronger. I used swamp grass to make a house and some useful things and worked wood with small knives to pass time. I learned to use reiatsu to burn the wood a little, but usually I screw it up and destroy whatever I'm working on. In fact, that whistle is the first piece I made where the burning for color actually worked right. I killed things and learned to soften the skins to make clothes, and I did make another whistle like that...for Yachiru."

Byakuya couldn't quite hold back a smile.

"In case she gets in trouble?" he mused.

"Yeah. I wouldn't like her to get killed."

Byakuya started to answer, then hesitated as another thought occurred to him. Kenpachi's widening smile completely disarmed him.

"After feeling you nearly die at the hands of that quincy, I decided that I don't really want you to die either," the bigger man confessed.

"I've grown stronger," Byakuya said shortly, "I don't need _you_ to look after me. Besides, the only thing that's threatened my life since the end of the war is you! You are constantly picking fights with me!"

"You're damned beautiful with a sword in your hand and that killer look on your face," Kenpachi said, bringing a darkening flush to the noble's fine skin, "I like getting you riled."

"I hadn't missed that," Byakuya noted, his reiatsu flickering dangerously.

"Usually, I feel like starting fights with you, but I thought maybe tonight we could do another kind of damage to each other," the bigger man said, moving forward a step and trapping the stunned Kuchiki heir up against the wall.

Byakuya felt an odd, dizzy sensation pass through him at the other man's closeness.

Then, he noticed the complete lack of the unclean, heavy odor he usually associated with Kenpachi. Instead, he not only smelled clean, but almost earthy. And as he moved even closer, the blush on Byakuya's skin deepened even more and he became nearly breathless.

"You gonna say something?" Kenpachi asked teasingly.

Byakuya opened his mouth to give a scathing reply, but instead found his opened orofice instantly captured and savagely invaded. He stiffened in shock at first, and pressed his hands against the bigger man's chest in reaction. But his mind went nearly blank at just how _wonderful_ those rough lips felt, rubbing hard against his softer ones, how his mouth tasted sweet from the plum tea, but also had its own deeply masculine flavor. His breath seethed like white fire as he left the noble's mouth and attacked the fine skin of his earlobe. His fingers sank into the fine, silken strands of the noble's hair, pulling his head back to give access to his vulnerable throat. This, Kenpachi assaulted warmly with kisses, then nipped playfully as he loosened their clothing with his other hand.

"Wh-what are you doing?" Byakuya whispered, closing his eyes, "Are you insane? Anyone could walk in!"

"Naw," the bigger man laughed, "My reiatsu won't let'em open the door."

"There's no way I'm letting you...!"

"Shut up. I saw your eyes when I kissed you. Don't lie to me and say you're not interested."

"Kenpachi..."

"Fine. Tell me I'm wrong then. Tell me you didn't like me kissing you. Lie all you want, but I know what I saw. I also know how you have to act when we walk out of this room, but before we do, I think we should do something truthful."

Byakuya found himself silenced again as Kenpachi's mouth enslaved his, plunging in deeply, his tongue savagely tasting. And whatever objection he might have had melted as Kenpachi's hand worked at his clothing. Finally, he could stand it no longer. His hands joined the bigger mans, baring both of them to the skin, then Kenpachi pressed up against him, making Byakuya go breathless again as he felt how big the other man was when he was aroused.

_He is an absolute monster!_

But somehow that monster didn't seem so beastly as he thought about those large, rough hands working skin into leather and carving the tiny pictures carefully into wood. He looked into the other man's blazing green eyes and imagined how placid they would have looked while he was focused on his creation.

And all of a sudden, he felt like something of a work of art being crafted under Kenpachi's strong hands.

He returned the other man's hard, passionate kisses, yielding slowly to the fingers that slid down his body and commenced a purposeful invasion. Deep throbs of arousal tickled his insides as they continued to kiss, and Byakuya's hand slid down over Kenpachi's broad, hairy chest and soft belly, following the finer hairs to his nether region. The growl he emitted at Byakuya's touch left the noble weak in the knees and he felt even weaker as the preparation ended and Kenpachi's hand slid over the curve of his bottom, capturing a slender leg and lifting it to wrap around his waist. He joined their bodies slowly, pausing to let his brightly flushed partner adjust to his size before moving.

When he did move, it felt as though the whole room shifted. Byakuya sucked in a sharp breath and closed his eyes.

"Don't do that. I like your eyes. They say things to me that you never would."

He couldn't give an answer, but answered instead with a groan of acceptance. His hips moved with the other man's, causing lovely ripples of pleasure in both of them and raising their reiatsu until the lights in the room flickered. Neither tried to speak again, but poured everything into a primal and beautiful exchange of hard, quaking thrusts that brought them quickly to the ends of their wits. Byakuya felt the other man's body shudder warningly and felt melting heat explode all through his insides. He devoured the howl of pleasure before it could escape the other man, and held on to him tightly as his own release began.

For a moment, everything disappeared, and when Byakuya's senses returned, he found himself lying in a heap on top his clothes, still held firmly in Kenpachi's possessive arms.

"Don't try dying like that again," the bigger man warned him, "That whistle is so I can be there if you need me."

Byakuya couldn't help but notice that the other man hadn't worded it like an insult, but more like a genuine promise.

"I told you, I've grown stronger."

"Well, even strong people sometimes lose to someone stronger."

Byakuya considered his words carefully, then nodded briefly.

"Kenpachi, I want you to make another one of these."

"Huh?" the other man huffed, looking surprised, "Why?"

"So that I can be there for you as well."


	2. Kurushimi & Tetsuya - Invisible

**Chapter 2: Invisible**

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**(I'm getting an early start on the holiday writing so that I can get lots of festive chapters done this season. In this chapter, Tetsuya watches as Byakuya disappears into a room with Kenpachi, then he is surprised with a certain adventure of his own! This is Shima-taicho31's Kurushimi with my OC, Tetsuya. If you like them together, they have their own story in Iron Flower. They appear in a number of my more recent stories, including Cherry Blossom and the Strawberry, Phantom Bride and Diablo's Bride. Enjoy! Love, Spunky)**

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His slender body cloaked in a delicate waterform that made him nearly unable to be seen, Kuchiki Tetsuya confined himself to the shadows near the edges of the grand ballroom and watched silently as Byakuya and Zaraki Kenpachi exchanged quiet words, then Byakuya slipped away into one of the private rooms. Zaraki's eyes watched carefully as the Kuchiki leader escaped into the room, then he smiled conspiratorially and followed. A flicker of genuine surprise registered on Tetsuya's comely face at the suggestion, but he had long known of Byakuya's secret passion for people and things that violated the stiff rules of the upper class and somehow distinguished themselves.

_And I have noticed that whenever Byakuya-sama speaks of Zaraki Kenpachi, even though he tends to be tight-lipped and agitated, there is something that suggests an intense passion that could ignite suddenly._

He wasn't sure what to feel a short time later as a privacy shield rose around the room the two were in and Tetsuya sensed a decidedly telling blossoming of heavy reiatsu in the room.

_How strange that my cousin, who loved a gentle and sweet girl like Hisana would fall for a beastly, masculine type like Zaraki Kenpachi._

_I don't understand love at all._

Tetsuya realized very suddenly that while he had been focused on Byakuya and the eleventh division taicho, someone...a tall man with handsomely tanned skin, brown hair and enchanting turquoise eyes had moved close to him without him noticing.

_Shima Kurushimi,_ he remembered, feeling a flutter in his insides at the hint of a smile on the man's attractive face, _leader of the Shima clan and a new taicho...Shiba Ichigo's cousin by marriage, and known for being very outspoken...unconventional._

Tetsuya's breath caught as the man's deep, pleasant voice sounded.

"Do you plan to remain invisible watching over Byakurai all night, Tetsu-hana, "or could I interest you in a dance?"

He was so surprised at being sensed by someone while in his waterform, and even more tripped up by being spoken to in such a way that he let his waterform disappear and materialized in front of the Shima leader. Kurushimi's eyes widened and his smile warmed Tetsuya strangely inside.

"Oh, he emerges," Kuri said, sounding both amused and pleased, "I have sensed you near Byakurai often, but my eyes have never been blessed with seeing your lovely face. You are enchanting, Tetsu-hana. Will you dance with me?"

Tetsuya's large, sapphire eyes blinked slowly and he remained a cautious distance from the other man as he answered.

"My name is Tetsuya," he corrected Kuri, "and my cousin's is..."

"Oh, I know that," Kuri assured him, "I just have a habit of calling things as I see them. Your cousin, Byakuya is powerful, beautiful and reminds me of white lightning, so I call him Byakurai. And you...although I have never laid eyes on you before, I have felt your reiatsu almost constantly around your cousin's. I know very well that feeling of iron underneath a pretty surface. Tetsu-hana, an iron flower of the Kuchiki clan. And you may call me Kuri-Kuri."

"Normally, I would say that such a thing would be improper," Tetsuya answered, blushing, "however, this is a festive occasion and no one is close enough to hear, so I suppose it is acceptable. You have a reputation for being unconventional, Kuri-Kuri-sama."

"Please," Kuri said, his smile sending fresh flickers of warmth through Tetsuya's insides, "it is Christmas. Relax and let your guard down, Tetsu-hana. You don't need to use honorifics when you talk to me."

Tetsuya's heart skipped oddly at the suggestion, and it began to race as Kuri moved closer and extended a hand in his direction.

"Dance with me, Tetsu-hana. You...do know how to dance, don't you?"

Drawn in by the festive lure of the music and the unique masculine beauty of the man in front of him, Tetsuya felt his insecurities break apart and he reached for Kuri's offered hand.

"That wasn't so hard, was it?" Kuri asked, looking charmed as he turned them onto the dance floor, "This isn't exactly my type of music, but let's make the most of it."

Tetsuya's breath seemed to freeze in his chest as the two spun into a waltz that made their formal kimonos flare as they made each turn in perfect time.

"You are a wonderful dancer, Tetsu-hana!" Kuri complimented him, "When does Byakurai's hardworking bodyguard have time to learn dancing?"

"Byakuya-sama taught me to dance as part of civilizing me after he rescued me from captivity."

"Ah yes, I have heard the story of how your family was captured and held in the secret noble's prison Itamigiri, all for your father breaking the rules by marrying a peasant girl."

"Yes," Tetsuya confirmed, "Byakuya-sama led a rescue mission that freed most of the prisoners, me included."

"Yes, you," Kuri remembered, "but like me, you lost someone you loved, isn't that right?"

Tetsuya paused, looking up into the Shima leader's eyes and finding genuine sympathy there.

"I did. He was my cellmate in the prison. His name was Naoki. He was killed protecting me when Byakuya-sama's forces stormed the prison."

Tetsuya paused and considered his words carefully.

"I remember we received word of your husband's passing a while back. I am sorry, Kuri-Kuri. Hideaki-san was known to be a kind and very gentle soul. He was well loved."

"By most," Kuri agreed, "though your cousin, Sasune, despised him...but that was my fault."

"I know," Tetsuya agreed, "Still, I don't blame you for abandoning the arranged marriage to Sasune so that you could marry Hideaki-san. Sasune is awful. He is a close relative of my cousin, Orochi, who hates mixed bloods and peasants."

"He is vile," Kuri said, his voice deepening even more with dark emotion, "My apologies for speaking rudely about your relative, but..."

Tetsuya let out a dismissive breath.

"My own relatives were behind my parents' deaths and my captivity," he said, frowning, "You don't have to worry about holding back insulting them in front of me. I know exactly how vile they are."

"I see," Kuri said, pulling Tetsuya closer as the waltz ended and a more modern and sultry sounding song began to play, "You become more charming by the moment, Tetsu-hana."

They went quiet, turning and swaying, moving in perfect harmony with each other as the music continued. Tetsuya felt a tickling sensation, looking up into Kuri's affectionate eyes.

"You are blushing," the Shima leader said suddenly, making Tetsuya's breath catch, "Does this mean that you like me?"

For a moment, Tetsuya couldn't answer. The lovely surroundings in the brightly decorated ballroom and the strains of enchanting music beckoned him, but he felt twinges of warning inside.

He realized then that his feet had stopped moving, and that he and Kurushimi were standing still amidst the sea of swirling dancers. He blushed more furiously and without thinking, invoked his power and began to disappear into an inadvertantly conjured waterform.

"Tetsu-hana, are you all right?" Kuri asked, looking confused, "I haven't offended you, have I. I only meant..."

"I-I am fine," Tetsuya managed anxiously, "It's just...warm in here, that's all."

"Come then," Kuri invited him, "let's find somewhere away from all of this...to talk."

Tetsuya took a shaky breath and made the two of them disappear into his waterform. Kuri gave an amused chuckle, then guided him off of the dance floor and up the grand staircase to the second floor. He led Tetsuya into one of the estate's many guest rooms and shut the door behind them. Tetsuya let his waterform fade as he moved through the room and out onto the balcony, where he was instantly frozen by the captivating view of the bright moon and twinkling stars from the second floor balcony. He was even more entranced as Kuri's arms wrapped around him from behind. Tetsuya paused, his heart longing, but uncertainty filling his mind.

"I hope you are not offended," Kuri said, his breath warming Tetsuya's earlobe and making his skin flush more darkly, "but I haven't met a soul since my Hideaki who made me feel inside as I do right now."

Tetsuya shivered involuntarily, but remained still in the other man's arms.

"And how is that?" he asked, "You are...attracted to _me_? But then, you were married to a peasant, and you are known for being different."

"Is there something wrong with being different?" Kuri asked, "Do we want to be all the same? I think there are good things about being different...but that is a less than favored viewpoint around here."

"Maybe," Tetsuya said, relaxing slightly, "but differences don't bother me...as long as the person who has them isn't cruel because of them."

Tetsuya's breath disappeared as Kuri turned him and gazed intently into his widened eyes.

"I will never be cruel to you, Tetsu-hana," he promised, curving a warm hand around Tetsuya's blushing cheek, "I only want to appreciate your beauty more closely. Would that be all right with you?"

Left breathless, Tetsuya could only answer with a tentative nod. He could barely make his feet move as the Shima leader coaxed him into a firmer embrace, then brought his lips to Tetsuya's and brushed against them before capturing them in a warm, firm kiss. Tetsuya's knees weakened strangely, and he wondered if the unpredictable light of the moon had seeped into his mind, making him feel so dizzy he leaned more against Kuri and let his mouth be teased into opening with the man's next kiss. Kuri's hand slid down Tetsuya's slender back, holding them against each other as his tongue dipped into the slighter man's mouth, then lazily explored the smooth, warm surfaces before sinking more deeply into the treasured depths.

Tetsuya felt the catching embers of the other man's arousal and his heart quickened almost painfully. He trembled softly with indecision, then started to pull away. But Kuri moved with him, breaking out of the kiss and looking deeply into his eyes.

"What's wrong? Did I hurt you?"

"N-no," Tetsuya assured him, his heart pounding furiously and his head spinning strangely, "I just...I'm not...a suitable partner for someone like you."

"Well, I didn't ask you to marry me yet, did I?" Kuri chuckled.

"I don't want my heart to be played with," Tetsuya said, backing away.

This time, Kuri let go of him, and Tetsuya paused, watching him curiously.

"I am not playing games with you," Kuri said solemnly, "I am falling head over heels in love with you. I have only ever loved my Hideaki, and when he died, it felt like my life ended. Since losing him, no one has ever tempted me to fall in love again, Tetsu-hana. Not until now...and not until _you._"

Tetsuya stared back at him, unable to comprehend the words and helpless to answer.

"Even though you were a prisoner," Kuri went on, "I know that you have felt love like the love I shared with my husband. And I know how your heart was ripped out when he died in front of you. I have _been_ to that place, Tetsu-hana, and I have never had any intention of risking my heart again. But even the first time I sensed you near Byakurai, encasing yourself in shadows and never appearing, I knew you were a little bit like me. I could feel that your heart was one that knew what it felt like to be broken. And when you appeared and I saw you for the first time tonight, I realized my senses were correct. Your heart, like mine, has loved deeply and lost. But you must sense what is happening between us."

Tetsuya swallowed hard, his heart throbbing so viciously it made his head swim.

"I do," he confessed, "and I am terrified. I wasn't allowed to marry Naoki officially, but we did have our own imaginary wedding in the prison courtyard, one day while the guards weren't looking. He put a flower in my hair and we took vows."

He paused for a moment, a tear sliding down one porcelain cheek. Kuri's fingers brushed it away and he nodded in understanding.

"Byakuya-sama granted me the honor of recognizing us as spouses," Tetsuya went on, finding his voice again, "He had Naoki buried in the family cemetery so that I could mourn him properly. I have gone to him every day at sunrise...well, except while the war was going on and the family was evacuated from the estate."

"It is the same for me," Kuri shared, "I go every day to drink a toast to the love Hideaki and I shared, and to remember that we were, even if only for a moment in time, parents awaiting the arrival of our first child. We had plans for the future, and everything to live for. But so did you and your husband. If not for the treachery of our kin, you and I would still be in the arms of our lovers, Tetsu-hana. We would be with our husbands and holding our children. It is a cruelty they were taken, but I think they wouldn't mind us comforting each other."

Tetsuya started to object, but was stopped by the touch of warm, rough fingers touching his lips.

"I don't mean momentary comfort, Tetsu-hana," he continued, "A night of passionate lovemaking would ease our loneliness, but it will not fill the emptiness they left behind in us when they died."

"Then...?"

Kuri gave him a smile that melted him inside.

"It would take, not a night in your arms, Tetsu-hana, but the hope of a lifetime filled with nights of beautiful lovemaking, the building of a future, and children to comfort us. I think our lost lovers would unselfishly want that for both of us, don't you agree?"

Tetsuya remained perfectly still and looking up into Kuri's affectionate eyes, then inhaled softly in surprise as tiny snowflakes began to fall around them. Kuri's smile widened.

"This too is your power?" he inquired, "You are making it snow?"

"It usually comes down as rain," Tetsuya said, catching a little snowflake in his palm and watching it melt into a fat raindrop, "But I feel strange tonight. I don't feel cold exactly. I don't know what I feel, but when I look at a snowflake, I feel that strange feeling. I guess that doesn't make sense."

"It makes perfect sense," Kuri assured him, raising Tetsuya's hand to his lips and kissing away the moisture the melting snowflake had left behind, "Every snowflake has a unique design...just like every person...just like every true love. I think what you feel when you look at a snowflake, is hope that there is a good future for you...that you will come out of the shadows and will fall in love and have everything that you and your Naoki always dreamed of. It is all right if that is not with me, but I think you should pursue it, Tetsu-hana."

Tetsuya paused breathlessly, sensing that his life was unexpectedly about to change.

"I _am_ pursuing it," he answered finally, his body relaxing and his eyes meeting Kuri's more steadily, "I think that before, I was just waiting to meet the right person to pursue it with."

Kuri laughed softly.

"And you have...found that person?" he asked, tilting his head slightly.

"I think so," Tetsuya answered, stepping into Kuri's embrace again.

The shima leader answered him with a long, penetrating kiss, then nudged him in the direction of the bed in the room. They kissed as they moved in off the balcony and across the floor, in a slower and much more intimate dance, that ended with their clothing falling away and their bodies falling onto the soft surface of the bed.

"Are you sure this is all right?" Tetsuya asked, "This isn't either of our homes..."

"I am staying here tonight," Kuri said, "This is _my _guest room I've brought you to."

"Oh," Tetsuya said, blushing brightly, "Then...all along, you meant to lure me here?"

Kuri's eyes lost their teasing look and took on an expression of perfect seriousness.

"If you ask me to let you go right now, I will," he said quietly, "but I promise you if you lay down with me tonight, I will _never _let you go, Tetsu-hana."

Tetsuya gazed up into his eyes, enjoying the warmth of the flames that had been relit in both of them and how good it felt to be held in loving arms again. Still looking into Kuri's eyes, he moved suddenly, upending the larger man and bringing him down on his back. Unfazed by the man's daunting size, Tetsuya joined their bodies in slow, determined movements, then fell down onto Kuri's chest, sinking into his mouth and groaning at finally being so full again in heart and body. He gasped as Kuri moved his hips, then rose up again, placing his hands on the Shima leader's muscular shoulders and writhing gracefully.

"This is a better kind of dancing," Kuri panted, thrusting heatedly and watching the sweet rise and fall of the slighter man's pale, slender body.

Tetsuya's surprisingly strong thighs squeezed him and beautiful sounds of intense pleasure escaped from between his parted lips. Kuri heard the sound of his name and overturned Tetsuya suddenly, finishing their coupling with a furious barrage of spirited undulations that left both gloriously undone and panting so hard they couldn't speak for several minutes after. Kuri remained sprawled atop Tetsuya and still deeply entwined with him, nuzzling under his chin, then nipping lazily at a flushed earlobe.

"I am glad you sensed me tonight," Tetsuya confessed softly, "I am glad you finally saw me."

"Oh..._mi corazòn_, I am glad you _let _me see you!" Kuri sighed, resting his head on Tetsuya's sweat dampened shoulder and closing his eyes in perfect bliss.


	3. Ichigo & Renji - Crossed Wires

**Chapter 3: Ichigo & Renji: Crossed Wires**

"Did you see that, Renj?" Ichigo snickered, reaching over to pat his red-haired friend on the shoulder, "That was my cousin, Kuri, going upstairs with Tetsuya!"

"Hey!" Renji snapped as the small gift he was holding nearly fell out of his hand, "Be careful, stupid. You almost made me drop this. What if it's fragile?"

"Damn," Ichigo chuckled, "You mean, you still haven't opened your Secret Santa gift?"

"Not yet," Renji admitted, blushing slightly.

"Why not? Are you just gonna sit there all night and stare at it?"

"I'm just savoring the moment," Renji answered, smiling down at the slightly clumsily wrapped parcel, "This is special."

"Special how?" Ichigo asked, frowning, "It's a Secret Santa gift. And even though the person who gave it to you is a friend, that doesn't make it monumental or anything."

"Well, that just shows how little you know, _baka_! See, there's something you don't know, something the person who gave this to me doesn't know."

"Ooh, Renji's getting deep!" Ichigo laughed, "Watch out now. I may as well tell you that I..."

"You see," Renji went on blithely, pointing at the gift, "this little package is from the person who's going to change my life...the one I'm going to love and marry, if he'll have me."

"What?" Ichigo said, looking confused, "Ah, Renji, I think I should tell you..."

"Thing is, he doesn't know I know it's him."

"Y-you know who gave you that gift? But it was a blind exchange. No one knows who gave them their gift."

"_I _know," Renji giggled, "see, because I was hanging out with Rangiku when she planned all of this. I sneaked a look at who was giving what to whom."

"Aw man, that's cheating!" Ichigo admonished him, not quite losing his smirk, "But are you sure there couldn't have been some last minute changes?"

"No way," Renji said firmly, "I'm sure."

Ichigo bit down on the edges of his smile and nodded.

"So, who is this lucky guy? Anyone I know?" he asked.

"Hisagi Shuuhei," Renji said, his eyes sparkling dreamily, "Man, I've had it for that guy since he was one of our mentors in the academy."

"Really? And you never said anything?"

"No!" Renji exclaimed, blushing more brightly, "He was an advanced student...and I didn't know if he liked guys that way."

"But now you do?" Ichigo inquired.

"Well, that's what this gift is gonna tell me. You see, I know Rangiku picked him to give me a gift, so depending on the gift, I'll know what he really thinks about me. Get it? Then, I know if I should make a move or not."

"Why don't you just make a move and ask him?" Ichigo suggested.

"No way! That would be awkward. And if it turned out he didn't like me that way, then we' d have that between us. It could wreck our friendship. I don't wanna do that."

"So, you're gonna try to be sneaky about it? And how will you know what his gift is supposed to mean?"

"Let me show you," Renji said, slipping his fingers under the edge of the wrapping paper and tearing it away, revealing a small white box.

"What does the little white box mean?" asked Ichigo, tilting his head slightly.

"W-well," Renji said, thinking for a moment, "I think it means he appreciates the simple things. Shuu and I grew up in the Rukongai. He was a little higher up, but still in a poor area, so we both struggled to get by. We're both orphans. So, that means that we appreciate the little things...the things like feeling safe, having a warm, comfortable home and good food to eat...having friends and people who feel like family to us."

"Yeah," Ichigo agreed, his eyes softening slightly, "those are important things. When my mom died, those were the things that we focused on to get through it. You know, Dad had to work hard to take care of us. The girls pitched in by cooking and cleaning. We took turns doing the shopping and things like that. We tried to keep the house feeling like it did when Mom was there. It wasn't the same exactly, but it did make things better to keep our house feeling like a home."

Renji sighed sadly.

"Man, it must've been tough for you. I mean, I didn't have a mom, or she either left me or just died. But it must be even harder to have a mom who loved you and took care of you, and then died like that. I'm uh...sorry, Ichigo."

"It's okay," Ichigo replied, giving the redhead a little smile, "I'm lucky to still have my dad and sisters."

"Right," Renji agreed.

"But back to your gift," Ichigo said, redirecting him gently, "Weren't you gonna open it?"

"Oh yeah!" Renji laughed, looking down at the little white box, "I almost forgot."

He continued to look down at the box with an uncertain expression.

"What's wrong?" asked Ichigo, "I thought you wanted to know what this guy thinks of you."

"I do!" Renji insisted, "I just...I need a minute, okay? This is a pretty big deal. I mean, I don't know _what_ he coulda put in this box. It could be anything! That's a little scary."

"It's probably a gag gift," Ichigo suggested, "Guys like to give a funny gift sometimes, to make their friends laugh."

"Yeah," Renji said, looking encouraged, "Everyone loves a good laugh."

His fingers moved slightly, then stopped again.

"C'mon," Ichigo prompted him, "Just open it!"

"Uh, well, what if it's something personal?" Renji said worriedly, "What if it's something, you know, for a private time...a special date?"

"Erm, do you really think he'd give you a sex toy for a Secret Santa gift?" Ichigo laughed.

"Shh!" Renji hissed, clapping a hand over Ichigo's face, "Don't _do _that, you moron! Someone'll hear!"

"But that's funny!" Ichigo persisted, "You think he'd give you a sex toy when first, you're not supposed to know who it is and second, you two've never confessed your feelings? I think you don't have to worry, Renj. Just open the box."

"I will!" Renji said defensively, "I'm getting to that."

"But...?"

"But I told you, I wanna savor the moment."

"Then, open it slowly," Ichigo advised him, "But open the damned thing before this party ends and your chances of that private time go away!"

"Will you shut up!" Renji chided him, his face turning the color of his hair, "Let me focus, okay?"

"You need to focus to open a box? Just open it, like this!" Ichigo said, reaching for the box.

The two made sounds of surprise as their hands collided awkwardly and the box flew out of Renji's hand and tumbled into the fountain they stood beside.

"No!" Renji shouted, almost falling into the water as he fished the little box out, "Damn it, you soaked it! What if he saw?"

"I think it's okay," Ichigo said, looking around, "He's just dancing with Rangiku, over there."

Renji's eyes followed Ichigo's gaze across the room, where Rangiku was being embraced and moved slowly around the dance floor by the object of Renji's affections. Renji winced and a crestfallen look came over his face as Shuuhei leaned forward and planted a long, penetrating kiss on the red-haired woman's eager mouth.

"Oh man," Ichigo said sympathetically, "Renj..."

Renji looked down at the soaked white box and sighed. He started to throw it back into the fountain, but his hand was stopped by Ichigo's.

"What're you doing?" Ichigo asked, "Why are you throwing it away?"

Renji looked down at the box sadly.

"Don't you want to know what's inside?" Ichigo asked.

Renji gave him a look of pure misery.

"It's probably just something like light up reindeer ears or something goofy, cause he sees me as a friend."

"It's not bad to have a friend like him," Ichigo said bracingly, "He's a good guy...a good fighter too."

"Yeah, but it stings a little that he doesn't..."

"What? That he's not mesmerized by your sexy, bold tattoos?"

"Shut up!" Renji managed half-heartedly.

"Don't be upset," Ichigo reasoned with him, "I mean, you got a gift, didn't you? It means something. Maybe it doesn't mean what you wanted it to, but that's how it goes sometimes. And you know, my dad says...although I usually don't pay any attention when he talks...he says that when something doesn't work out, you don't just stop. You keep looking. Maybe Shuuhei isn't right for you. Maybe you're not right for him. But it's okay if that's true, because it just means you have to look a little longer to find the right person. That person's still out there, Renji, just waiting for you to find him...or her."

"I like guys," Renji said, lowering his eyes and staring down at the box, "and I don't know anyone else who might've had any interest in me."

"Have you asked anyone out? You know, on a date?" Ichigo inquired.

"Naw," Renji sighed, "I go out dancing with guy friends all of the time, and sometimes we dance with girls, and sometimes we dance with other guys, but it's all casual and fun. Some of the friends I go out with hook up with someone, but...uh...no one ever asked me."

Renji swallowed hard at the long silence that followed.

"I'm too tall and awkward," Renji complained, "And I'm too loud and I make stupid jokes and embarrass myself. I guess that's why."

"Maybe your friends just aren't sure you want to be serious," Ichigo offered, "You shouldn't be afraid to ask them. Ask me. I'll go out with you."

"What? You would?" Renji asked, looking amused and somewhat flustered.

"What? Aren't I good enough to date the awesome and fearsome Abarai Renji?" Ichigo joked.

"Stop it!" Renji laughed, swatting at him, "Now, you're just trying to make me not feel like a total loser!"

"You're not a loser," Ichigo said firmly, taking hold of the hand that still held the white box and turning it over, "and you should open that box. Just be happy someone thought of you."

"Eh, whatever," Renji said, opening the box and pulling out a small jewelry box.

He frowned at it curiously.

"What's wrong?" asked Ichigo, "Not what you expected?"

"W-well jewelry's kind of a serious gift," the redhead mused, his fingers shaking slightly as he turned the box over in his hands, "and I know he's not interested in me, so...I wonder why he would get...?"

"Maybe you should look at it," Ichigo suggested, "see what it is before you make any conclusions."

"Uh, all right," Renji said uncertainly, flipping the box open, and watching in dismay as the pendant and chain inside were unceremoniously launched towards the fountain, "Oh no!"

He followed after, managing to take hold of the charm as he and the necklace splashed down into the fountain together, sending sprays of water in all directions.

"Oh hell!" Renji sighed, scowling as a large number of the party guests turned to look and laugh, "Great..."

"C'mon," Ichigo chuckled, offering him a hand, "let's get you outta there."

Renji crawled out of the fountain, growling as Ikkaku and Madarame snickered and several others smirked and gave him a thumbs up.

"Jerks..." he huffed, shaking the water out of his hair and looking down at the gold pendant and chain.

He turned the charm over and back again, marveling at the number six stamped into the front and the copy of the tattoos he had over his eyebrows that had been placed on the back.

"Whoa..." he said, forgetting about the hubbub his spill into the water had caused, "Holy hell, Ichigo!"

"What's wrong," the Shiba heir asked, smirking at him, "You don't like it?"

"No, I love it!" Renji exclaimed, still unable to tear his eyes away from the piece, "It's...amazing! I've never seen anything like it. It's...really beautiful, and it's totally not what I'd expect him to give me."

"Heh, maybe that's because he _didn't_ give it to you," Ichigo suggested, giving Renji a meaningful look.

The redhead stared back at him in stunned silence for a moment.

"What? You mean, _you_ gave this to me?" he asked, "Really?"

"Yeah," Ichigo confessed, "See, Rangiku found out a while back that I like you."

"Huh?" Renji mused, "How did she find out something like that?"

"Eh, my sister blabbed it to her," Ichigo said, flushing.

"Your sister knows you like me?"

"Yeah...both of'em do," Ichigo sighed, "That's why I was sure you'd figure it out a long time ago. And when you never said anything, I thought that meant you weren't interested in me. Then, when I came tonight and you were all excited about getting a gift from Shuuhei, I didn't know what to do. I mean, I'd understand if you liked someone else, I guess."

"I do like Shuuhei," Renji admitted, "but he's obviously not interested in me."

"But that doesn't mean that you like me," Ichigo said, frowning, "I mean, I like you, but I don't want to feel like you're only interested because the person you really like isn't."

"Ichigo, it's not like that," Renji insisted.

"It's not? Are you sure?"

"Yeah," Renji persisted, "It's not that I don't think you're my type, it's just I never realized you liked me, and I looked at you as a friend."

"But now, it's suddenly different?" Ichigo challenged him, "Why?"

"Well," Renji said, crossing his arms, "I just didn't consider you in a sexual way before. Now that it came up, I am thinking that way."

"Now that _it came up_?" Ichigo snickered.

"Very funny, asshole!" Renji laughed, his face reddening again, "You know what I meant."

"Uh huh," Ichigo agreed, "I do. But um, does that mean if I ask you, you'll dance with me?"

"Sure," Renji answered, moving closer and sliding his arms around Ichigo.

He looked down at his still wet clothes and shook his head.

"Sorry about that."

"It's fine," Ichigo assured him, leaning forward and engaging the redhead's lips in a tentative kiss, then a firmer, more insistent one, "but is it okay with you if we dance somewhere more private?"

"Like where are you thinking?" Renji asked, arching an eyebrow, "Are you trying to get me to go upstairs with you?"

"Do you wanna go upstairs with me?"

Renji grinned and handed Ichigo the charm.

"You want to put this on me first?" he asked, "That way, you can look at it while we dance."

"Sounds good to me," Ichigo said, sliding the charm into place around the redhead's neck, then holding it up to admire it, "It looks even better on you than I imagined it would."

"It's really great, Ichigo," Renji said appreciatively, "Thank you."

"I'm glad you like it."

Ichigo slipped a hand into Renji's and the two ascended the steps up to the second level of the mansion, heading past one of the rooms, from which they could hear the sounds of two males involved in vigorous lovemaking.

"Sounds like my cousin, Kuri, made an impression on Tetsuya, ne?" Ichigo chuckled.

"Oh man," Renji giggled, "You'd better not tell Taichou. He'll cut Kuri to pieces first and ask questions later!"

"I think Byakuya's still tangled up with your former taichou from the eleventh," Ichigo snickered.

"I can't quite wrap my head around that one," Renji mused, "Taichou acts like he can't stand Zaraki taichou."

"Well, Rangiku told me that Zaraki requested to be matched with Byakuya for the gift exchange," Ichigo informed him, "She seemed to think it was hilarious, and a little scary. I guess Zaraki made some points with his gift."

"Yeah, that and something else!" Renji quipped, slowing as they reached the door to Ichigo's guest room.

The two paused outside the room, looking at each other with a touch of unexpected shyness.

"You sure you wanna do this with me?" Renji asked, "You haven't done it with a guy before, have you?"

"N-no," Ichigo admitted, "But I know what goes where and how not to hurt my...um...partner. I read about it. You've had sex with guys before, right?"

"Yeah," Renji confessed, "but not casually. I don't screw around."

"Neither do I," Ichigo agreed, "I mean...I won't."

"So, we're like, a thing...an item? A couple?" Renji asked, stepping into the room and waiting as Ichigo closed the door.

"I hope so," Ichigo said, moving closer and kissing the redhead more amorously, "I really do like you, Renji."

"Enough to make me your first?" Renji asked, "That's an amazing gift. I just hope you know what you're doing."

"I told you I read up on gay sex!" Ichigo snapped.

"I didn't mean _that_, stupid," Renji chided him, "Anyone can have sex. But you're choosing me to be your first. That's pretty big."

"Who was your first?" Ichigo asked curiously, joining Renji in loosening each others' clothes.

"Oh...just some guy in the lower Rukongai who offered me money I needed to get food for me and Rukia. I wouldn't have ever done it, but it was a real bad winter and we were taking care of a baby we found and some other friends. It was a pretty desperate situation. I felt disgusted after. I mean, the guy was pretty awful...smelled bad and he was rough, damned brutal. I had to do it a few other times, but finally we got accepted into the academy."

"Did you ever have a boyfriend there? Or after?" Ichigo asked more tentatively.

"Naw," Renji sighed, "I was hung up on Shuuhei for all of that time, and I was too shy to ask him if he liked me."

Ichigo gave him a surprised look.

"So, the only guys who you went to bed with were guys who you didn't love?"

"Yeah," Renji admitted, giving him a guilty look, "I guess that's kind of a turn off, huh?"

"No," Ichigo said firmly, "I think it just means that it's kind of your first time too."

"The first time I'm with someone I lo...erm...someone I like a lot," Renji corrected himself.

Ichigo held him more tightly, kissing Renji harder and rubbing his nude body against the redhead's provocatively. He admired the bold, dark lines that ran all over Renji's golden tanned skin, then he began to run his fingers along them, kissing Renji hungrily and moaning heatedly into his mouth. The two stumbled to the bed and fell down, exchanging more insistent kisses and continuing to rub vigorously against each other.

"You have some lube?" Renji asked, "If not, we can just use..."

"Saliva. I know," Ichigo chuckled, "I have lube."

He reached over and removed a tube from the nightstand. Renji gave him a look of mock reproach.

"Did you come here tonight, just wanting to get me in bed?" he asked accusingly.

Ichigo shrugged.

"I thought about it. Nothing wrong with that, right? It's Christmas. It's a good time for falling in love, right?"

"Yeah," Renji agreed, opening the lubricant and looking at Ichigo questioningly.

Ichigo read the question in his eyes and swallowed hard, his heart pounding.

"Um..." he managed, blushing.

"You can penetrate me first," Renji offered, "and if you feel comfortable with it, I can take you after."

"Okay," Ichigo answered, a little breathlessly, watching and panting softly as Renji applied the lubricant for him.

"Lie down on your back," Renji instructed him, "Just let me..."

"Okay."

Ichigo watched with widened eyes and a flustered expression as Renji spread his handsomely tattooed thighs and mounted him, joining their bodies slowly and watching appreciatively as Ichigo's eyes went hazy with sexual hunger.

"Oh...oh, Renj!" he managed.

"Don't move yet," Renji warned him, "You're kinda big."

"What do you call that?" Ichigo teased, staring in fascination at Renji's daunting size, "You wanna put that in me?"

Renji moved his hips and Ichigo gasped and arched his back.

"Oh kami, that feels amazing! Oh! Oh, Renji!"

"You can go as fast as you want now," Renji prompted him, "I'm okay."

Ichigo's hips bucked sharply and Renji moved with him, lowering his head to bring their mouths together. The two surrendered to a heavy barrage of wild thrusts that quickly stole the breath from their lungs and brought Ichigo to the brink of orgasm. Renji watched with happy, aroused eyes as a look of pure joy spread across Ichigo's face and his body shuddered in the heady pulses of release. He waited until they began to subside, then pulled free of Ichigo and dragged the ginger-haired man onto his lap. He prepared Ichigo slowly and entered with great care, so it wouldn't hurt.

"Oh!" Ichigo gasped, writhing and biting at the redhead's shoulder, "It feels g-good!"

"For me too!" Renji panted, forcing himself to hold back until Ichigo's tensed body relaxed.

He loosed himself then, laying Ichigo down on his back and thrusting hard and fast. Ichigo's eyes gazed raptly up into his and he couldn't stop smiling as he watched Renji's face overwritten with intense pleasure. A howl of delight escaped him as his pleasure peaked and his body shuddered in release. Ichigo gasped at the explosion of scathing heat and he felt climax grip his body again. The two collapsed in a heap, still kissing and caressing each other until their hearts slowed and their frantic breathing eased.

"That was...unbelievable!" Ichigo sighed, "I didn't know what to expect."

"Me either," Renji confessed, "I'd never been with someone because I wanted to. You were incredible."

Their kissing slowed and the two relaxed in the bed, looking out at the pretty moon and stars. Renji's fingertips stroked the handsome silver charm.

"Merry Christmas, Ichigo," he said, giving the ginger-haired man a final, affectionate kiss.

"Merry Christmas, Renji," Ichigo sighed, cuddling up on Renji's chest and closing his eyes.


End file.
